


No Other

by Blondjjong



Category: EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 19:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15588696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blondjjong/pseuds/Blondjjong
Summary: Some things seem to fit and flow so naturally.





	No Other

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tae_Amo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tae_Amo/gifts).



Everything with Jongin has always come so easily. It was more natural than breathing the way they just seemed to fit and flow together, rarely bumping edges, always running in tandem along the same vein. There’s no possible way Taemin could pinpoint just when he’d fallen in love, when he’d stopped thinking in ‘I’ and started thinking in ‘We’. He couldn’t even tell just what it was that had caused this shift inside of him, between them, only that it was, and always seemed to have been predispositioned. Taemin was always starkly aware of Jongin’s absence, even when his world was awhirl, which was the case more often than not. When Jongin was away there was this little bit of a twinge in Taemin’s heart, pulling ever so subtly at him through the days, and well into his nights. There wasn’t anything else in Taemin’s life that could keep him grounded the way Jongin could, nothing that could make him feel light, make him feel human, the way that Jongin could.   
  
There’s something about the gentle way Jongin carries himself as he moves through the crowd of their peers that catches Taemin off guard. Jongin’ gaze skims softly over those around him, his clothing not quite worn the way his stylist surely intended. His jacket has been shrugged partially off his shoulders in the most absent minded of habits, somehow making Jongin seem smaller, appear softer than the people around them. It draws the breath right out from Taemin’s lungs, his heart clenching, fluttering with a burst of unexpected emotion as he watches Jongin from afar.   
  
This past year had been unyielding with the sudden cracks it had splintered between them. It was all Taemin could do to keep it together sometimes, the push and pull between them had near wrecked Taemin for good. Facing just how deep he was in it for Jongin was terrifying when met with the very real notion that he was alone in these waters. Taemin had learned too late that the fear of speaking his heart out loud, was less terrifying than the reality of Jongin moving forwards and leaving him well behind. Even now he was still working on smoothing down raw edges, easing with time and patience the anxiety of having near lost the other man. Jongin had sank into him so much deeper than he’d realized over their years growing together.   
  
Those deep brown eyes settle on Taemin through the crowd, Jongin’s expression softening just the slightest in a look Taemin had spent too many months longing to have back, yearning to have it directed his way just one last time. And there it was. Still guarded, with good reason, but shining in Taemin’s direction, beaming at his presence.   
  
Taemin is glowing now, he knows he is, his cheeks aching from the sheer enthusiasm of his own smile as Jongin makes his way across the stage, and directly to his side. As if Jongin had been drawn there, just the same way Taemin had been feeling the pull towards Jongin ever since Exo had set foot on that stage. They’re standing close enough then that he can feel Jongin’s personal space pressing, and melding with his own, making Taemin feel equal parts at ease, and overwhelmed with excitement. It’s the most contrasting concoction of emotion but he’s getting used to Jongin pulling such unexpected contrasts up in his chest. Taemin’s face tilts up in Jongin’s direction, his eyes turning to crescents as he simply glows up at Jongin.   
  
“What?” 

Taemin barely catches the question over the noise around them, shaking his head in reply, turning his gaze out beyond the stage, to the crowd surrounding them. He doesn’t linger long though unable to help the way his attention seems magnetically pulled back onto Jongin.   
  
“What's with the look?” 

Jongin leans in closer this time, trying again, his voice much more clear as he leans to speak near Taemin’s ear.   
  
“Ah...It’s nothing.” 

There’s this bit of a pause where Jongin gives him the most quizzical of looks, as if trying to read him, once again pulling apart the little bits that made up Taemin, studying them to better understand. It doesn’t take much more than that for Taemin to give, leaning in as Jongin cups a hand over his own ear, catching Taemin’s voice with his palm.   
  
“It’s just…” 

A little bit of a laugh escapes Taemin, the overwhelming bits of happiness Jongin had stirred up inside his chest spilling forth, and into the world around them.   
  
“I just missed you.”    
  
When their eyes meet again there’s this soft, secret, kind of smile on Jongin’s face. Taemin watches as Jongin’s features seem to relax, seem to ease themselves into a place of comfort. It leaves Taemin thinking that just maybe, most likely, Jongin was feeling similar swirling wisps of emotions making themselves known underneath his ribs.   
  
“Aigo, shut up.” 

Taemin is laughing at that, open and honest, revelling a bit in the warmth of Jongin’s tone of voice. Jongin drapes an arm over Taemin’s shoulders, pulling him into Jongin’s broader frame, keeping him close. This truly was bliss: Having Jongin near again, sharing an unspoken understanding with him as they settle, fitting, flowing, and just simply existing together once more.   
  
Taemin’s attention is turned to the other side of the venue when Jongin leans back in, speaking his words against the shell of Taemin’s ear, the low register of Jongin’s voice, and the brush of his lips sending another swirl of feeling through Taemin.

“I missed you too.”

For all that was happening in the ever moving flurry of Taemin’s life it was Jongin, only Jongin, that could get him feeling this way. Jongin is near and Taemin, Taemin is flying.


End file.
